Omurice, or omelette rice, is a dish that boasts immense popularity in Japan, to the extent that events are held to determine the best-tasting ones.
Its charm has also spread to international visitors to Japan, and as a new trend in Japanese cuisine, its popularity only continues to grow.
“ハンバーグオム,” Hamburger Steak Omelette Rice 1,290 JPY (tax included)
Kanda Tamagoken’s fully loaded omurice delivers satisfaction
Located just a 5-minute walk from Shinjuku Station is Kanda Tamagoken, a restaurant that specializes in omurice. They craft the dish with such skill you’ll be hooked!
One of the clever touches they make to it is their chicken rice. In addition to chicken, they use onions and mushrooms cut into generously large pieces.
The reason the restaurant uses such big cuts is to bring out the flavor and texture. When you bite into it, you can distinctly taste each ingredient.
The seasoning includes tomato sauce, fresh tomatoes, black pepper, and a chicken broth which is made from the restaurant’s secret recipe.
By using less ketchup (normally used in omurice) and more tomato sauce, the aftertaste doesn’t become too overwhelming. Plus, the chicken broth adds richness to the dish.
Kanda Tamagoken’s eggs have the ultimately perfect texture
There are three different styles for the egg that envelopes the rice in omurice.
There’s the type where the chicken rice is wrapped in the egg, the type where an omelette is placed on top of the rice, and finally, the type where largely cooked eggs are set on top of the rice.
Kanda Tamagoken employs the style of placing cooked eggs directly on top of the rice, allowing you to enjoy their smooth texture.
It’s not just the texture, of course. Be sure to pay attention to the flavor of the eggs!
The restaurant changes their egg suppliers according to the season and time of year. This meticulous selection of each ingredient to pursue deliciousness is their second clever touch in making omurice.
By sourcing fresh and high-quality eggs, they achieve sweetness and richness in flavor without the need for additional seasoning.
A wide variety of special sauces to choose from!
The final special touch the restaurant uses is the sauce poured on top of the omurice.
In addition to seasonal limited edition sauces, Kanda Tamagoken offers mushroom sauce, tomato sauce and “hayashi sauce” (hashed beef sauce). The latter is similar to demi-glace sauce and featured in “hayashi rice,” a Japanese dish inspired by corned beef hash and sometimes rendered in English as “hashed beef on rice.”
The classics are tomato sauce and hashed beef sauce. These are the the pride of Kanda Tamagoken, and have been refined since their opening.
Kanda Tamagoken’s special hashed beef sauce
One of their signature dishes, the “Hamburger Steak Omelette Rice,” is topped with hashed beef sauce.
The sauce is deliberately kept from being too sweet, ensuring a rich yet not overly intense flavor.
Because the hashed beef sauce doesn’t overpower the dish, it balances perfectly with the slightly tangy chicken rice and the sweetness of the egg.
The hashed beef sauce pairs perfectly with the hamburger steak topping!
Hamburger steak can be ordered as an à la carte topping for 400 JPY (tax included)
The large hamburger steak provides a satisfying bite, and coating it with hashed beef sauce enhances its deliciousness.
If you can’t decide because there are so many sauces to choose from, the “Tomato & Hashed Beef Omelette Rice” is highly recommended.
This dish comes with both of the restaurant’s classic sauces, tomato sauce and hashed beef sauce, offering great value.
“トマト&ハヤシオムライス,” Tomato & Hashed Beef Omelette Rice 950 JPY (tax included)
The tomato sauce has white wine added to it, giving it richness and a subtle tartness.
Compared to hashed beef sauce, it has a lighter aftertaste, making it a perfect match with the chicken rice, which also uses tomato as its base flavor.
Furthermore, it can be enjoyed by mixing it with the hashed beef sauce, which is rich in umami.
There are so many toppings it’s hard to choose!
In addition to the Hamburger Steak Omelette Rice, Kanda Tamagoken offers a wide variety of toppings.
The restaurant also offers karaage (Japanese fried chicken), crab cream croquettes, and fried shrimp.
Customizing toppings to your liking is part of the fun unique to Kanda Tamagoken.
The restaurant offers both table and counter seats. It’s easy and convenient for solo diners to enjoy. During lunchtime, it’s bustling with nearby office workers.
Kanda Tamagoken’s interior
As the restaurant opens at 11:00 AM, it’s best to visit either right after opening or around 3:00 PM when it’s relatively less crowded.
They use a ticket vending machine system that supports English and includes menu photos, so even international visitors can use it with ease.
Kanda Tamagoken’s ticket vending machine
Omurice really offers a deep culinary experience as its flavor changes with different toppings and sauces.
Experience the charm of various omurice dishes at Kanda Tamagoken!
Information
| Store name | 神田たまごけん 西新宿店 Kanda Tamagoken Nishi-shinjuku |
|---|---|
| Address | Seiko Building BF1, 1-19-2 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
|
| Access |
Shinjuku Station（SJK） 4-minute walk from Shinjuku Station South Exit
|
| Phone number | Unlisted |
| Reservations | Not accepted |
| Payment |
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| Service charge/Table charge | None |
| Hours | 11:00-22:00（last order 21:45） |
| Closed | No fixed holidays Unscheduled holidays |
| Seating | 16 seats 8 counter seats, 8 table seats |
| Smoking | All seats are non-smoking |
| Official website | https://www.tamagoken.com/menu/ |
| Other information |
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※Menu contents, prices, store information, etc. are current as of March 2024.
